Grass-hook



I H. s. EARLE.

GRASS HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED APR-1 7, 1916.

1 87,246. Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

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UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

HORATIO S. EARIiE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO H. S. EARLE MFG. CO.,

0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

GRASS-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

To allwhomz'tmayboncern:

Be it known that I, HoRATIo S. EARLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne',"State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grass-Hooks, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to grass-hooks and its object is a grass-hook of simple and durable construction in which the blade may be readily adjusted and set at various angles to;

Another object of the inventhe handle. tion is a grass-hook in which the blade and handle are detachably secured together whereby the device may be'very readily taken apart or folded to allow the device to be carried in small compass, as required for instance, for carrying in the pocket of the user. Another object is'a grass-ho0k having formed of sheet metal and provided with a separable tang detachably connecting the blade and handle in a manner to enable the parts to be rigidly held in assembled relation. An additional object of the invention is a blade having a semi-circular base or heel provided with notches or serrations about the circular end, and means on the handle adapted to engage the notched end of the blade to hold the blade in adjusted relation with the handle. An additional object of the invention is a blade notched as stated and a handle and a separable tang adapted to hold the handle and blade in assembled relation. An additional object of the invention is a grass-hook of uniqu and attractive design and of inexpensive construction. These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more'fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a grass-hook embodying my invention, the handle and ferrule being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device showing the edge of the blade from the back.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the notched.

end of the blade and a portion of the handle and; ferrule in assembled relation therewith.

F g. 1 is an end view of the ferrule.

F g. 5 is a detail ofthe tang.

Flg. 6 is a cross section of the preferred form of the blade.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing and specification.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention herein shown the blade 1 is formed of sheet metal, the concave edge 2 of which 1s sharpened and the back of the blade is upturned as may be understood from the cross-section in Fig. 6, forming a rib 3 extending from near the heel of the blade toward the point, the rib being of the greatest depthat the heel and tapering toward the point as may be understood from Fig. 2. The end of the blade at the heel is semi: circular in form provided with a substantially central aperture 4, the circular end being notched or serrated as indicated at 5 for the purpose hereafter stated. The blade is also wider at the heel and tapers toward. the point as indicated, providing a blade of incil'easing strength from the point to the ice The tang 6 is preferably formed of a rod having an offset end 7, which end is round in cross-section adapted to pass through the aperture 4 and engage the opposite side of the blade as may be understood from Fig. 2, so that when in place one side of the blade is engaged by the body of the tang near the end, and the opposite side is engaged by the end 7 extending parallel with the body of the tang-the connecting portion 8 between the end ,7 and the body passing through the aperture 4r. vThe opposite end of the tang is threaded as is indicated at 9, and a nut 10 is secured in the end of the handle 40, which has a longitudinal'ccntral bore 11 to receive the rod 6.

The end of the handle adjacent the blade is provided with a ferrule 12 seating in an annular shoulder 41 as indicated more particularly in Fig. 3. The handle is unsecured to the ferrule and may rotate relative thereto as maybe hereinafter seen. The ferrule is provided with a central aperture 13 through which passes the rod 6 and is also provided with a slot 14 atone side of the aperture 13, as may be understood from Fig. l, adapted to receive a portlon of the heel of the blade 1.

In setting the blade into the slot 1d theserrations on the blade end'engage opposite ends of the slot as may be understood from Fig. 3, and, by screwing the handle tightly onto the tang or rod 6, the blade is drawn into the slot. The parts are thus detachably held in fixed relation. While several serrations 5 are indicated in the drawing it is to be understood that the blade may simply be notched to enter the ferrule and the blade thus held in fixed relation with the ferrule and handle but, by the provision of the serrations shown, the blade may be turned on the part 8 of the tang as a pivot to set the blade at any desired angle relative to the handle, and the handle then screwed tightly in place to fix the parts in the adjusted relation.

The usual grass-hook is a somewhat cumbersome article to carry in the pocket of the user, but by arranging the parts in detachable relation as shown, the handle may be unscrewed from the rod 6 an Ktent sufficient to allow the heel of the blade to be withdrawn from the slot. The handle may then be folded parallel with the blade to be carried in the pocket, or the blade and handle may be readily disassembled for the same purpose. To disassemble the parts, the handle is unscrewed to such extent that the heel of the blade is entirely withdrawn from the slot 14 whereupon the handle may be turned at a right angle to the plane of the blade and the point 7 withdrawn from the aperture as will be readily understood. In thus disassembling the parts the rod 6 is not necessarily entirely removed from the nut 10, wherefore the ferrule, handle, and tang are retained together and the possibility of the loss of any small separate part is avoided as in the arrangement here shown, the usual nuts and screws are dispensed with, and the assembling or disassembling of the parts is readily accomplished, and

without appreciable loss of time.

It is also to be noted that the handle is to be turned to the right in fastening the parts together for use, and that the act of cutting grass, or the topping of beets, or other use for which this article is service able is performed with a movement that tends to turn the handle always toward the right and thus keeps the handle tightly screwed onto the rod 6. The parts will therefore not become accident-ally disassembled in use.

lVhile the preferred form of the blade is of sheet metal as indicated in the drawing the blade may be formed of any approved material in any desired manner without departing from the spirit of this invention.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is of simple and inexpensive construction, that the blade may be readily set at any desired angle relative to the handle without loss of time and that the manner of attaching the blade to the handle provides a rigid connection upon the handle being screwed tightly in place and that an article of unique and attractive design is secured.

Having thus briefly described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. In a grass hook, a blade having a rounded heel provided with a serrated edge and a central aperture, a tang having a terminal portion adapted to pass through the aperture and a portion to pivotally support the blade, the terminal portion and body portion contacting opposite sides of the blade, a handle adapted-to receive the tang, the handle being movable longitudinally of the tang and adapted to engage the serrations in the edge of the heel.

2.. In a grass hook, a blade having a semi-circular end provided with a serrated edge and being axially apertured, a tang in the aperture pivotally supporting the blade, a handle in threaded relation with the tang and movable longitudinally thereof, a ferrule on the handle through which the tang passes and being shaped at one side of the tang to engage the serrations of the heel.

3. In a grass hook, a blade having an aperture, a tang having an offset terminal portion adapted to pass through the aperture, the terminal portion and body portions of the tang engaging oppositesides of the blade, the blade being pivotally supported on an integral portion connecting the terminal and body portions and engagement of the terminal and body portions with, the respective sides of the blade preventing movement of the blade on an axis lying in the plane of the blade, and releasable means for engaging the blade to forcibly hold the blade in contact with the said body and terminal portions and prevent pivotal movement thereof on the tang. i

4. In a grass hook, a blade having asemicircular heel'provided with a serrated edge and an aperture at the aXis thereof, a tang having a terminal portion adapted to be passed through the aperture, the terminal portion being parallel with thekbody and connected therewith by an integral portion of a length substantially equal to the thickness of the blade on which the blade pivots with opposite sides of the blade lying against the body and the terminal portions respectively, the opposite end of the tang being threaded, a handle having a central longi: tudinal aperture to receivethetang and being in threaded relation therewith, a ferrule on the handle apertured to'receive the tang and being provided with a slot atone side of the tang aperture adapted to receive the said serrated edge and prevent rotation of the blade on the tang.

5. In a grass hook, a blade formed of comparatively thin sheet metal and having a semi-circular heel provided With serrations in the edge thereof and an aperture sub stantially centrally positioned inethe said end, a tang having a terminal portion adapted to be inserted through the aperture, the

terminal portion being parallel With. the body of the tang and connected therewith by a portion at a right angle to the body of a length substantially equal to the thickness of the blade, a handle movable longitudinally of the tang, shaped to engage the serrations of the blade and forcibly hold the blade in a plane parallel'with the terminal and body portions and prevent rotation of the blade on the connecting portion of the tang.

6. In a grass hook, a blade having a semicircular notched end and a central aperture, a tang engaging through the aperture pivotally supporting the blade, a handle movable longitudinally of the tang, a ferrule on the handle end substantially cup shaped in form having the rounded end thereof apertured to receive the tang and slotted to receive the blade at one side of the tang.

7. In a grass hook, a handle, a tang movable longitudinally of the handle, a metal blade curved in the plane thereof and tapering substantially gradually from point to heel, the heel terminating in a circular portion of a diameter approximately equal to the Width of the blade at the Widest point and having the rounded edge of the heel serrated and the blade further having an aperture at the axis of the circular portion to receive the tang, means on the handle for engaging the serrations and movement of the tang relative to the handle Withdrawing a blade from the said means permitting the blade to be turned to vary its angular position relative to the handle.

8. In a grass hook, a handle, a tang movable longitudinally of the handle and projecting from one end thereof, a blade having a circular heel portion apertured at the center, the edge of the circular portion being notched, a notch engaging device at the end of the handle, movement of the tang relative to the handle Withdrawing the blade from the notch-engaging device, the tang extending through the aperture of the heel and providing a member on Which the blade may be turned to alter its angle relative to the handle.

. In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

HORATIO S. EARLE. 

